Critique my 10k taper plan - race in 5 weeks

I think everything here could work well. But I might consider doing the Week 2 workout again in Week 4, but cut the rest to about 90 seconds. It would make it considerably more 10k specific, and a much stronger predictor than the fast 1200s. With less rest you could also break it up a little bit. Like 4 x 2k and then 2 x 1k or something.

Last week workout is totally preference based. Psychologically I prefer to get something longer in, rather than do all shorter stuff. So I might do a mile or a 2k at race pace, jog rest for a few minutes, and then maybe only do 4 x 400 at 5k pace, but of course YMMV.

keepgoing wrote:

I think everything here could work well. But I might consider doing the Week 2 workout again in Week 4, but cut the rest to about 90 seconds. It would make it considerably more 10k specific, and a much stronger predictor than the fast 1200s. With less rest you could also break it up a little bit. Like 4 x 2k and then 2 x 1k or something.

Last week workout is totally preference based. Psychologically I prefer to get something longer in, rather than do all shorter stuff. So I might do a mile or a 2k at race pace, jog rest for a few minutes, and then maybe only do 4 x 400 at 5k pace, but of course YMMV.

Thanks for the input! I like the idea of doing the 4 x 2k, 2x 1k, but isn’t this a bit hard 10 days from the race? I’ll have to see how it feels next week.

Workout yesterday went well (I think)! Did the 800s and 1ks on turf, 400s and 200s on a track.

Averaged:

2:50

78

36

3:40 (last one 3:30 on the track)

Maybe a bit slow for 35:00 but certainly feel I’m in shape to be well under 36 :)

You're tapering 5 weeks out?

I should have clarified. By taper I’m referring to structuring the workouts to shift away from volume towards speed before race day

Will plan to do weekly mileage of:

50

50

50

45

35

RACE

Along with the listed workouts.

The last week i would only do 12x400. I would slow it down to 5k pace which sounds like 1:20 if only doing 60-90sec rest. Otherwise it maybe to hard and take away from the race that week. Aka the hay is already in the barn.

You'll definitely want to keep an eye on how well you recover. But I do thinking hitting your most race specific workout 10 or so days out from the race is very doable. Especially since all your workouts would be building up to that one.

I know for myself, I could fully recover from a workout like that with 3 to 5 days of easy running. Plenty of time to do a short, confidence building workout, and then really easy runs until race day.

But, if you have any doubts that it is too much, definitely don't do it. I have no problem cutting my workouts right in the middle of the run if they are no longer feeling productive.

Week 5 looks overly ambitious. You're unlikely to make any meaningful gains 5 days before the race. Maybe do this if you're "training through" with a peak race a few weeks out.

For race week, I like to keep it fairly light and mostly focus on hitting race pace and rhythm. I typically cut the volume a bit from a regular workout and increase the recovery.

Bullet the Blue Sky wrote:

Week 5 looks overly ambitious. You're unlikely to make any meaningful gains 5 days before the race. Maybe do this if you're "training through" with a peak race a few weeks out.

For race week, I like to keep it fairly light and mostly focus on hitting race pace and rhythm. I typically cut the volume a bit from a regular workout and increase the recovery.

Good feedback by all! I am sort of training thru this, but it will definitely be a mini spring peak.

So perhaps I will cut the volume in week 5, maybe throw in a race pace effort as suggested.

Perhaps 1 mile @ 10k, 2 min rest, 8 x 400 @ 5k in week 5. Definitely wanna hit race day feeling sharp!

So I think 6 x 1200 @ 5k pace is a pretty hard workout. 3:00 is a bit of rest but 4-5 x 1200 would be enough for most.

I would think about something more 10k specific there. If you do it on a Tuesday/Wednesday, that's plenty of time to recover. Repeat the 2k's with less rest or 6 x 1600 off of :90. 3 x 2 miles off of 400 jogs. Etc.

I would skip the 400s at 5k pace the week of the race. Something like 4 x 1200 (5 x 1km, 3 x 1600) @ T + 4-6 x 200m @ mile/3k should do the trick. That's a 5k specific workout the Tuesday/Wednesday of a race. Would you do a 5k specific workout that close to a 5k?

I think the threshold stuff race week. It should feel comfortable/slow because it should be done at actual threshold pace. It'll be enough to get a stimulus but leave you plenty fresh to race.

I would also think about adding structured speed sessions into weeks with only 1 workout. Week 2 for example: 5 x 2k on Tuesday, then 200s/300s/400s (not a ton- maybe 12 x 200, 7-8 x 300, 5-6 x 400) on Friday, hilly LR on Saturday. That's a way to pepper in speed workouts without them taking up a main session since you're training for a 10k.

Hmmm. So what you’re saying is do the 6 x 1600 or 3x2 mile at considerably slower paces (say LT pace), whereas 6x1200 at 5k pace is just too fast?

And for race week, what you’re saying is the hay is already in the barn, so no need to do too much at quicker paces because it’s just going to tax me?

Too late for structured speedwork, but I’ll factor that into my next cycle. I did that last year but felt it contributed to Achilles issues :/

All great feedback! Thank you!

Updates:

Week 3:

Ended up only doing 4x2k @ 10k pace. Hot day, never felt in rhythm, so didn’t do the 5th.

6:58

7:07

7:08

7:15 and called it.

Week 4:

Felt much more pop in the trail race. FTW, 4:20 /k pace over hilly single track.

2.5 weeks til race day!!!

Update:

Did 6x1200 workout w/ 400m jog rest (2:15-2:30). On the track, first time in race shoes (Next %s)

4:00

4:00

3:58

3:58

3:55

3:53

Pretty pumped about how this went, and felt very very in control. Could have cranked the last 2 below 3:50 without much stress.

10k race in 10 days!

Good work holding back on that workout. And thanks for the updates. I'm excited to see how this turns out for you.

I wouldn't run 12-16x400 @ 5k pace 3-4 days out from a target 10k race. You are literally achieving nothing... you are not getting pace work and that is not a particularly easy workout. Other than that I think this looks pretty good.

highhoppingworm wrote:

I wouldn't run 12-16x400 @ 5k pace 3-4 days out from a target 10k race. You are literally achieving nothing... you are not getting pace work and that is not a particularly easy workout. Other than that I think this looks pretty good.

I agree with you and the others on here.

Thinking of making it:

1 mile @ 10k pace (5:30-5:35), jog 2 min

4-6x 400 @ 5k-10k (80-82) with 60-90s 200m jog rest.

Hopefully that’s a little more specific pace work and also should be quite easy at 4 days out!

Last workout was a little bit of what you guys told me to do, and a little bit of me pacing my buddies during their 6x800 workout :)

1 mile @ 5:28

800 @ 2:29

3x 400 @ 74, 73, 75

800 @ 2:28

200 @ 32

Easy jog rest about 2-3 minutes between reps to match up with the guys.

Feel sharp and well rested! I liked doing the mile at race pace, as well as the lighter speed load week of the race, so thank you for that recommendation!

10k race in 3 days!!!! Sub 35 or bust! Race on pure hate!!! :p